If you’re planning to run in this year’s Missoula Marathon, you are invited to a free seminar at the Good Food Store on February 27th at 7 PM.

Our topic on Injury Prevention in Runners will be presented by our two top running specialists at Alpine Physical Therapy, Kristi Moore and Angela Listug-Vap.

This is a free event and is chalk full of ideas on how to train while preventing injuries. It is well attended and appropriate for runners, walkers, and run-walkers.
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For more information on the services we provide to area runners, then be sure to check out our Runner’s Clinic at Alpine by clicking here.

Patients with typical neck pain may benefit from a physical therapy program that includes upper neck and upper back manipulation. Potential benefits include less pain, better neck motion, and improved ability to perform daily activities. Although this treatment was very successful for this group of patients with neck pain, it may not be effective or even appropriate for all patients with neck pain.

Your physical therapist will perform a thorough evaluation to help determine if you are a good candidate for this treatment, as part of a program designed to help get rid of the aching in your neck. The benefits in this study were only measured for the first 48 hours after treatment; further research is needed to determine long-term benefits.

Here are the nuts and bolts of the supportive research study that appeared in this month’s Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy (2012;42(1):5-18. doi:10.2519/jospt.2012.3894).

In this study, James R. Dunning,DPT, MSc Manip Ther, FAAOMPT and fellow researchers treated 107 patients. About half of these patients received a manipulation of the neck, on the part closest to the head, and of the upper back. The other patients received manual therapy that mobilized the spine without using manipulation.

After 48 hours, the patients who received the manipulation treatment experienced a 58% decrease in pain and a 50% decrease in disability. By contrast, patients who received the mobilization treatment only had a 13% decrease in pain and actually showed a 13% increase in disability. In addition, the patients who received the manipulation had increased motion and improved control of their neck muscles compared to the patients in the mobilization group.

The researchers concluded that the combination of upper neck and back manipulation was more effective in the first 48 hours of treatment than the mobilization treatment.

Two of our physical therapists at Alpine Physical Therapy have studied extensively with Dr. James R. Dunning. To schedule an appointment and to get your neck feeling better quickly, you are invited to call our office at 406-251-2323.

Get more information on neck pain by visiting the patient resource section of our clinic website by clicking here.

When our clients conclude care at Alpine Physical Therapy, we ask them to take a moment and fill out a satisfaction survey, which includes a spot for additional comments. Well, I just received three write ups from our patients. Notably, all three of the write ups included wonderful accolades about one of our star therapists, Brace Hayden, DPT!

I’ll include each of the write ups here. Great work, Brace. Your ability to connect with patients, as you clearly did with each of these three patients, makes such a big impact! Magnifico. I love that word!

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Running to Recovery
First, the location:  I was already a Peak member and the fact that Alpine is located there was even better.  Second, and most important, having Brace as my PT made the therapy something that I looked forward to.  Since I was recovering from a running injury, having a physical therapist that was also passionate about running, the trails, and the outdoors in general made my therapy more of a learning experience than “therapy.”  Brace had a genuine concern for my recovery program with my own goals in mind.  Within two weeks, I was hitting my desired distances without fear of re-injury.  An expert, professional, and master of his craft, Brace had me back on the trails in no time.

Chris D.

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Nothing But Good Things

I was very pleased with my treatment at Alpine.  There was not a long wait for my appointments.  The staff is very nice.  The facility is lovely, clean, comfy, and private when needed.  Brace was just so thorough in his explanations of the exercises to help me and made sure I knew how to do them correctly.  He gave me the time I needed, was very gentle, and was a very warm personable guy!  I am doing much better!  Thanks Brace and everyone!

Judy J.

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Another Great Experience

My needs were more than met for the second time at Alpine.  I appreciate the equipment that is available to use.  Brace is very observant.  He does not hesitate to ask questions and gives suggestions but is not pushy.  All of the staff is great.  I have no complaints.

Irene H.
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Great work, Brace! Thanks for setting the bar high for top-rated patient satisfaction at Alpine Physical Therapy.

Upon completion of her third segment of a three-part series in advanced women’s health physical therapy, Tara Mund, DPT of Alpine Physical Therapy will have amassed all the credits and training required to attain certification as a specialist in women’s health physical therapy. She completed Level 1 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in spring of 2010. She then completed Level 2 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in fall of 2011.

By attaining her advanced certification, Tara will be the sole physical therapist in Missoula who performs examinations and treatments at this advanced level, a feat that will enable her to skillfully address pelvic diagnoses in women (and men) of all ages. Having a certified women’s health specialist in physical therapy woking at Alpine Physical Therapy strongly expands our existing outreach in the area of women’s health physical therapy.

Tara is the Director of the Her Health program at Alpine Physical Therapy (www.HerHealthMT.com). Whereas she’s been able to grow this program over the past three years, her attainment of this certification after completing her upcoming course will benefit her dramatically. Certification will place her at the top of her field in our community, enabling her to communicate comfortably and with authority to area doctors and other referral sources. Additionally, her patients will directly benefit from Tara’s advanced training as a specialist.

Tara is slated to attend Level 3, taught by M.J. Strauhal, PT, BCB-PMD, in Neptune, New Jersey, on March 2 through March 4, 2012. This course is approved by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and is sponsored by the Women’s Health Section of the APTA.

This three-day course will provide clinically relevant information and training for the evaluation and treatment of urinary incontinence, life span specific considerations, and individuals with neurological involvement. Labs will focus on EMG relaxation training and integration of complete examination procedures learned in previous coursework. Lecture will include the pathophysiology and physical therapy evaluation and treatment of patients, pediatric and geriatric populations, and pelvic floor intervention with neurologic patients. Changes in the pelvic organs throughout the lifecycle and interdisciplinary treatment of pelvic dysfunction will be reviewed. Course content is evidence based and will promote the use of the most reliable tests and validated outcomes measures.
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We extend in advance our sincere congratulations, Tara, on your upcoming achievement.

The first step toward preventing this type of knee pain is being able to accurately identify potential risk factors that may lead to the problem. *A study published in the February 2012 issue of the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy provides new insight on specific factors that may place you at risk for anterior knee pain.

NEW INSIGHTS

In this study, the researchers evaluated published articles using a process called a systematic review. Their initial search of the literature found 3845 possible articles of interest. The research team found that weakness of the quadriceps muscle, which is on the front of your thigh and helps you to straighten your knee, was predictive of developing knee pain. They also confirmed that females are at higher risk for anterior knee pain.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

Being able to predict which athletes are at risk for knee pain is helpful in developing prevention exercise programs that lessen the chance of injury and pain. This study suggests that having a weak quadriceps muscle is a risk factor for patellofemoral knee pain, and that if you are a woman, you are more likely to have this type of pain. Therefore, especially for women, regularly performing an exercise program that focuses on strengthening your quadriceps muscle may be an effective way to keep your knees pain-free.
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Because exercises to strengthen your quadriceps muscles are easy to do and don’t require a lot of equipment, they can be done at convenient times and with little or no cost. As with any exercise program, you may also need to consider the physical activities you already perform and your response to this exercise approach. In addition, some people may need to address other areas of weakness or tightness throughout the lower extremities (such as the gluteal muscles) to ensure their best outcome. The physical therapists at Alpine Physical Therapy scan help customize an exercise program for you. For more information on the treatment of anterior knee pain, contact us at 251-2323.

For more information on this topic, view our patient guide on patellofemoral pain by clicking here.

* This JOSPT Perspectives for Patients is based on an article by Lankhorst NE et al, titled “Risk Factors for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review” (J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2012;42(2):81-94. doi:10.2519/jospt.2012.3803)

If you’re planning to run in this year’s Missoula Marathon, you are invited to a free seminar at the Good Food Store on February 27th at 7 PM.

Our topic on Injury Prevention in Runners will be presented by our two top running specialists at Alpine Physical Therapy, Kristi Moore and Angela Listug-Vap.

This is a free event and is chalk full of ideas on how to train while preventing injuries. It is well attended and appropriate for runners, walkers, and run-walkers.
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For more information on the services we provide to area runners, then be sure to check out our Runner’s Clinic at Alpine by clicking here.

According to Ryan Mizner, PT, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Montana, the sports clinical residency program in the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Montana has just been credentialed by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

The UM’s program becomes one of only 20 APTA-credentialed sports clinical residency programs in the United States. The accreditation permits the graduates who complete the yearlong and full-time program to apply for the Board Specialization exam for sports clinical specialty.

A clinical residency program is designed to substantially advance a resident’s expertise in examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and management of patients in a defined area of clinical practice (specialty). Residency programs must be based on the latest description of specialty practice to be credentialed by APTA.

Achieving credentialed status is a testament to the quality and sustainability of the training provided by the UM’s Sport residency program to licensed physical therapists.

Congratulations to the U of M’s School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science for this tremendous accomplishment and accolade!

Notably, Alpine Physical Therapy is proud to have on staff the first (and currently the only) graduate of U of M’s prestigious sports clinical residency program, Jamie Terry, DPT.

Commenting on the recent credentialing, Alpine’s owner, Brent Dodge, states: “Undergoing a residency program of this magnitude prepares physical therapists to excel in their clinical practice. From the moment Jamie joined our team of physical therapists at Alpine, I’ve seen firsthand how this program has given Jamie a solid foundation for clinical decision making, which is directly related to her ability to help our patients successfully achieve their rehabilitative goals.”
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Jamie is currently applying for the Board Certification examination and will sit for this intense exam next month.